1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information handling systems and more particularly to privacy locks for use with information handling system video cameras.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
It is known to provide information handling systems with an integrated video camera (e.g., a webcam). For example, all in one type information handling systems or portable type information handling systems may include the video camera within the housing of the system while stand alone type information handling systems may include the video camera which is associated with the display device of the information handling system. In certain systems the video camera may be integrated with the display device. In other systems, the video camera may be coupled to the information handling system and then located in proximity with the display device.
An issue has presented itself as video cameras have become more ubiquitous. This issue relates to user privacy concerns. It has been determined that users are becoming increasingly concerned about privacy issues as well as the difficulty in detecting when a video camera is enabled. This issue has become more pressing in a number of instances such as unauthorized users or applications enabling the video camera, malware that unobtrusively turns on the video camera, institutions such as school districts spying on users when they are remote from the school as well as concerns about any background information that is detectable via the video camera and general privacy issues.
To address this privacy issue it is known to provide a video camera with a physical shutter mechanism. When the shutter is open there is no blocking of the image, but when the shutter is physically closed the image is blocked. This issue has also been addressed by placing an opaque material such as tape over the video camera. Additionally, some video cameras have an indicia such as a light to indicate when the video camera is active. One issue with the indicia is there have been certain types of malware application which disable the indicia even when the video camera is active. Additionally, to address this issue certain parental controls have been introduced which disable or limit access to the video camera.
What is needed is an intuitive method to unlock video cameras when use is desired and to have confidence that the video camera is locked when use is not desired.